


To Steal a Thief’s Heart

by ThaliaofCarim



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Smut, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, No one knows what to make of OC, OC also just happens to be a thief, OC is a MGiT, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-01-10 21:40:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18416387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaliaofCarim/pseuds/ThaliaofCarim
Summary: Lauriel is a MGiT, but unlikeMOSTOf the women in the MGiT stories she’s read, Lauriel finds that she’s just had it a bit rougher or did for a while until she found her “true” calling: thievery. And boy does she love every moment of it. Yes, she has immense knowledge about the coming Inquisition but she wisely keeps that to herself at least until she does something only a rookie would do and ends up captured by several soldiers of said fledgling Inquisition. Now, Lauriel must prove her worth to the Herald AND his advisors while trying to find a way out of the Inquisition’s grasp which is easier said then done when in this version of Thedas, anyone who is caught stealing is bound by a collar made of silver and lyrium and forced to serve whomever put the collar around their throats, but Lauriel has patience and alot of it as, after all, even master thieves have a level of patience that would put the holiest of saints to shame.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not dead! I just haven’t really felt like working on my other Dragon Age fics for a while as Ive just hit that spot where the muses of those stories just vanished completely and I’ve lost interest in those stories. I’ve also been playing ALOT of Elder Scrolls Online so yeah. Please don’t hate me for not working on those stories, I will eventually return to them its just a matter of finding the inspiration TO work on them and keep them going with updates and keeping the stories alive. I hate leaving you all hanging, I really do, but I am honestly struggling with them and with my muses. I promise as soon as the inspiration to work on them comes back I will update them the moment it comes back, until then I hope you will tell me how you like this story?

She knew she shouldn’t have done this particular job alone. She KNEW that she should have waited and watched like a good little thief, but she didn’t and she had come alone and had done the stupidest thing she or any thief could have done and now was kneeling on a cold ass stone floor, with arms bound behind her back, head down as the clinking of the armor from the two guards was  the only other sounds in the room outside of her breathing. Then the sound of the door, which she judged to be made of thick oak (or something akin to oak), opening had her glancing up from the floor without moving her head to see a man with golden eyes (and hair to match) entered the room with three others (these ones that entered after him were women however). Watching them from the corner of her eyes, she half-wondered what they wanted with her and had to bite back the smartass remark she was planning on making about their entrance. She felt them study her for a moment, and then the man spoke. “Who is she?” 

“Her name is Lauriel,” One of the women responded with a semi-monotoned voice as if she was bored to death. “And she is, or rather was, a master thief.” The woman on her knees, revealed to be named Lauriel, really did have to bite back a smartass remark to that observation. “Lauriel is a highly wanted woman in Orlais, the Free Marches, and here in Ferelden as well. However, seeing as how it was your soldiers who caught her, Commander, her fate rests in your hands.” Lauriel could swear she could see the wheels turning in the man’s head at that moment before he addressed her. 

“Lauriel, why did you attempt to steal from the chantry?” 

Lauriel smirked with an amused huff escaping her, “Why should I tell you? It’s not as if my fate wouldn’t end the same way that the fates of all other thieves does: death.” 

“If you tell us why, you may get off easier.” 

“Aren’t you cute,” Lauriel snorted, “I don’t fear death, nor do I fear you or anything you could do or have done to me. When it comes to my reasons for what I do, my lips are sealed so bite me.” Lauriel watched him carefully. She wanted to get a rise out of this man, to watch him become frustrated and angry and damn near foaming out of the mouth, but she was sorely disappointed when he barely reacted at all. What he did do, however, was approach her and kneel down before her. She was unarmed and her arms were bound, thus he knew she presented no danger (not that she was a danger to him as he was physically stronger then her). She watched as he reached out to gently pull her face towards him and hissed the minute his gloved fingers barely brushed her right cheek to turn her head to face him. Pulling away as if a snake had bit him, he frowned before placing his hand under her chin and his thumb upon her chin and slowly turned her head to the left. Lauriel knew what he saw, what they all saw on her cheek and heard a slight gasp fill the room as they saw that her cheek was badly bruised from the recent mistreatment she had received from one of the more violent soldiers. 

“What happened?” The man inquired as she yanked her head away from his grasp. 

“None of your fucking business,” She snarled in return. She just wanted this strange interrogation to be over with so she could go back to her dreamless sleep she had been in for the past couple of nights (getting the hell knocked out of you could do that to a person), but when she looked back towards the man she noted his deep frown and met his golden eyes as he thought something over. 

“Have her collared and a tent set up near mine. Until she confesses to why she was trying to steal the item she was from the chantry she can remain in my service and have her seen too as well.” 

Lauriel’s eyes went wide as she heard him deliver his verdict. She was to be collared and suddenly she began wishing for death. In her mind, in any thief’s mind, to be collared was a fate worse then death as it meant she was bound to the man who ordered the collar to be put around her neck for the rest of her life. It meant she would almost be a _**slave**_ to his every whim unless she told him why she had been caught doing what she had been doing. As she watched him stand and walk away, some tiny little part of her snapped and suddenly she found herself cursing him and the other three women in the room in a language none of them properly understood but they understood the message behind it. She hated them. 


	2. One

The collar irritated her skin but then again so too did the healing magic that had been used on her to heal her bruised cheek. The magic she could live with, the collar though, not so much. A few hours later found Lauriel (who was now sitting cross-legged on her cot in her tent) glaring daggers at the man, the Commander, who had ordered this damnable thing around her neck and he stood there at the entrance to the tent completely unfazed by the deadly look she was sending his way. "If you would tell me why you were caught by my soldiers in the chantry, I will see if there isn't someway to pardon you from the crimes you have committed." He tried bribing her, but Lauriel only glared and held her tongue. Deciding that he was getting no where with her on that particular topic, he turned to leave when she finally spoke. 

“Why didn’t you just bother to have me executed? It would have been easier on you.” 

The Commander paused in his tracks and turned to look at her to see that her inquiry was a honest one. As much as he wanted to tell her the true reason behind why, he didn’t and so settled for another answer. “Because you could prove useful, Lauriel. Now get some sleep. I can imagine the medicine the healers gave you is causing you to feel tired.” With that, the Commander began to leave again only damn near trip over his own two feet when she spoke again as she laid down. 

“You know this will eventually come back to bite you in the ass, Cullen.” The Commander stopped dead and whipped around to ask her how she knew his name, but the moment he turned, he saw that she was already passed out.

_How does she...?_ But the answer to that question would have to wait until a much later time. Frowning, Cullen left the tent more puzzled about her then he had entered but soon entered his own tent to begin reading up on what it would be like to have a thief bound to him through the collar Lauriel now wore. 

Closing his eyes for a moment, he remembered that the collar, itself, was made of silver and lyrium (apparently, from what he understood, they had tried gold and lyrium when the idea of the collars first came into existence but something had gone awry with that plan thus leaving silver as the only option for metal choices) and had required a few drops of both Lauriel’s blood as well as Cullen’s blood in order to properly bind her to him. Granted, Cullen believed that process to bordered on Blood magic (and thus made his skin crawl just thinking of it), but he knew that this collaring process was a better way for a thief, such as Lauriel, to earn their redemption. But now as he sat at his desk reading over what he could, a part of him felt sorry for the thieves who were bound like Lauriel was. Some were reported to have been bound to people who were actually caring and kind, but others were not so fortunate.

Cullen slammed the book he was reading closed and shivered as he did. He did not like what he had read at all and made a mental note to try and be kind to Lauriel as what he had read had _horrified_ him. Looking in the direction Lauriel’s tent was, he shivered as he realized that what he had just read was likely a fate that would befall her if he didn’t take care. _I can’t let that happen to her._

****

Lauriel felt her blood almost boil as she unwillingly followed the Commander to the war room. Fate had never truly been kind to her, there were moments when fate would be kind enough to let her enjoy a few things here or there without some form repayment, yes, but Lauriel hadn’t lived some twenty-three years of her pitiful excuse of a life hoping it would last. It never did. In truth, Lauriel had learned that fate was particularly (and rather unnecessarily) cruel to her for whatever reason that she could not fathom and she knew that this particular path she had been kicked onto by fate was especially cruel as Lauriel knew the fates of all thieves who were collared like dogs. However, as Cullen and Lauriel entered the “war room”, a hauntingly familiar voice ceased speaking as she came to a halt in her tracks (just as she entered the room) the moment she saw a heart wrenching (and much more welcomed) person turn to face her with that person’s eyes growing wide as saucers upon spotting her. “Lauriel?!” 

“Maxwell?” The person she addressed nodded as he approached her while still in shock, as the others in the room watched the exchange with confusion and suspicion.

“You’re alive...? After all this time...” 

“Hard to believe I know. But yes I am.” Lauriel nodded as she watched the man draw closer to her. 

“I thought you died... In the fire...at...at...” Lauriel watched as the man’s eyes, both a deep mossy color, began to mist up and she felt sorrow claw through her heart and soul. 

“I know, but I didn’t. Though I won’t deny that there are days where I wish the fire had-!” She started as he shook his head before reaching out to pull her close, taking her by surprise. She felt his arms wrap around her and it took a moment for her brain to catch up to what he had just done, but soon, she buried her face into his shoulder as tears stung her eyes as they threatened to spill over. 

“I’ve missed you...” Maxwell managed to say with his own choked up voice as he too fought back tears. 

“I know and I’m so sorry, Max...I should have written...should have done something... to let you know that I was alright.” She felt her hands rest on his broad back as she kept her face hidden for a bit longer, because, after all, this was the only reprieve she was likely to have anytime soon. After they pulled away, she watched as Maxwell looked her over before he did a double take at the item around her throat and then she saw the anger ignite deep within the earthly hues she knew so well. 

“Why are you wearing a _**collar**_?!” He growled low in rage. 

“I’m sure the presence of the damned thing tells you all you need to know. She knew Maxwell enough to know his temperament; she knew that he could be unpredictable at times when greatly upset or pissed off and this was one of those moments so she chose her next words carefully. “After that...” she hesitated for a moment. Speaking of the event  that had led her to a life of crime, hurt. “After the fire I fell in with a group of thieves.” She needn’t say more as she saw the sudden understanding dawn on him. 

“Who had it put on you?” Maxwell’s jaws clenched and the others in the room looked worriedly towards the Cullen who decided that preparing for a potential fight by tensing up (and preparing an argument) would be a smart idea. 

Lauriel looked away, “The Commander... it was his soldiers who caught me.” Just as Lauriel looked back up she witnessed Maxwell whip around to glare the blackest look at the Commander he could summon and Lauriel wondered how the Commander didn’t burst into flames on the spot. 

“ _You had a **COLLAR** put on Lauriel?!” _Maxwell snarled viciously towards the other man who tensed up even further. 

“It is a necessary-!” 

“ ** _NECESSARY_**?! Dooming the woman I consider a _SISTER_ to a life where she is basically bound like a _SLAVE_ to you is necessary?!” 

“Maxwell please!” Lauriel lunged forward then to grip Max around the arm before he could cause any unneeded harm to the Commander while taking everyone else (to include Cullen) by surprise as she gripped the taller man.  “They caught me trying to take something that I have no business taking!” She told Max as he looked towards her with narrowed eyes “If anyone deserves your anger its me!” She watched as he studied her for a brief moment. 

“No, you don’t,” then, turning towards the Commander, he growled out a threat. “If my sister comes to any harm while she wears that  damned collar, and I discover that you are the reason behind it. No force on Thedas or beyond will keep me from hunting you down and destroying you. Do I make myself clear?” 

“Crystal.” Cullen replied with a curt nod as Lauriel watched Maxwell worriedly. 

Maxwell turned back to Lauriel with a kinder look, “Laur... Come to my cabin later, I need to speak with you in private.” 

“I...” 

“Promise.” 

“You know that so long as I wear the collar I can’t make such promises.” 

“I know but you can at least try,” With that, he pulled her into another hug before walking out of the room with her watching him. 

_Why is Fate so cruel?_ She wanted to scream those words out at the top of her lungs but bit the inside of her cheek to keep that thought from becoming reality. _As soon as I get to see him in private, I should tell him why I was caught... but... he may hate me for it..._ Lauriel fought back a pout as Cullen commanded her to sit in a nearby chair and the collar glowed just a bit as she fought back a whimper. A collar made of silver with lyrium imbued in it tended to burn the one wearing the collar the more they fought against the orders given to them and Lauriel, already being so sensitive to the fact that her throat was already hurting and itching due to the rash that she was developing because of her minor allergic reaction to the silver of the collar, swiftly obeyed the order given and sat to study her fingers while  those who remained in the room talked strategy.


	3. Two

The more Lauriel thought, the worse she felt and the worse she felt, the more she mentally beat herself up. Now, as she paced around in her tent, Lauriel was sure that Maxwell would kill her; it had been roughly two to three years since they had last seen each other, since they had last spoken, and now she couldn’t help but slowly pick herself apart mentally. “Lauriel?” Cullen’s voice cut through her thoughts and she yelped out in surprise. Whipping around to see that it was only the Commander, she watched as his suddenly wide eyes met hers and he began to apologize profusely. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!” 

“It’s fine...your fine. I should have been paying better attention to my surroundings,” She admitted as she watched him scratch the back of his neck. 

“I...still. I should have done something to alert you before speaking,” he frowned as Lauriel wondered _why_ he had suddenly just appeared out of the blue. 

“Anyways, before we spend gods know how long on you apologizing for startling me- Don’t look at me like that, I can tell from the look on your face you would.” Lauriel frowned as Cullen went to argue that point, but then she immediately jumped to business. “Why are you bothering me? You know you won’t get anything out of me about-!” 

“That’s not why I’m here,” He swiftly informed her as she watched him closely. “I’m here because I want to know about your relationship to the Herald.” 

“He has a name and I suggest you use it. And why do you care what my relationship with Maxwell is? All you need to know is that Max and I are like siblings. Nothing more, nothing less.” Lauriel tried to brush Cullen off but the man was relentless, “Oh and if your worried about Max being like a brother to me ruining what little of the reputation the Inquisition already has well there’s no need,” Lauriel walked over to her cot, sat down upon it and opened a nearby book that she had started reading before the meeting the day before as even Thieves had hobbies. 

“I just want to know why you two see each other as siblings even though you two look nothing alike.” 

“Isn’t the answer to that obvious?” Lauriel shot back as she crossed her arms. “Or are you just as blind as all the others who walk around in this world? Maxwell and I have a sibling like relationship and thats all that should matter. He takes care of me when needed and I take care of him.” 

Cullen studied her for a moment, “Lauriel.” 

“Don’t.” She growled low before returning to her book. “Just please... don’t force me to speak of the reason why.” Lauriel just wanted him to leave her tent. To leave her alone to her thoughts, books and journals (she had a soft spot for poems too and she even liked writing some at times) but it seemed to her that he wasn’t about to let that happen. 

“Lauriel...” he sighed then,” I know we didn’t meet under the best of circumstances,” he heard her mutter something about that being an understatement, “but I would like to at least try and get to know you even if its just a little bit.” 

Lauriel finally met his gaze as she stood, her book she had been reading, was held open wide as it rested in on of her hands which was balancing it carefully, “Just speak plainly, Commander. What do you really want from me?” 

“I would like to know about you and how you came to know the Her- err Maxwell,” He swiftly fixed that as the glare she shot his way rivaled that of Medusa’s stony gaze. 

“I don’t trust that this isn’t some ruse to get me to speak of why I came here in the first place, but if you must know. Maxwell saved my life. Thus, in a way, I owe him said life. Anything else you wish to know about him and I, well you’ll just have to ask him as I refuse to speak anymore on the subject.” With that Lauriel returned to her book and Cullen sighed before noting what she was reading. 

“Is that... A physical copy of the Chants?” 

“Hmn?” Lauriel looked up at him once more. “Yes.” She noted the surprise written on his face, “What you didn’t think a master thief such as myself would skip out on reading did you?” 

“I would have never guessed it about you,” Cullen frowned as she shook her head.

“Then you’ll be doubly shocked to discover I have a weakness for puppies, kittens and poems to, though not the sappy love poems. I find those to be too...” Lauriel wasn’t sure what had compelled her to tell him that but she did. 

“Boring?” 

“Thats one word for it, but then again I never write love poems.” 

“You write poems?” 

“Sometimes. But only when the mood hits me and the emotions I feel are just right. I use to write poems a lot while growing up.” 

“What made you stop?” 

“Life.” 

“Oh...” 

“But thats not saying that I haven’t written some when I felt the mood strike me.” 

Cullen watched as she returned to her book and wondered what exactly had made her go for the life of a thief but shook that thought away for the moment. Once he saw that she was too deep into the book she held to speak with him, Cullen turned and sought out Maxwell to find out why he and Lauriel were so close to each other and what Maxwell told him slightly surprised him. 

**** 

“...Because I’m gay,” Maxwell smiled as Cullen’s jaw (and the jaws of the others) damn near dropped. “After I saved her life, an event neither of us are willing to speak of at this time, Lauriel was the only person who hasn’t judged me because of my sexual preference of men instead of women. In fact, now that I think about it, she’s always been happy to call me a brother.” 

“Why is that?” The only woman with flaming red hair asked as Maxwell looked towards her. 

“Never bothered to ask. Nor has my Father or older siblings. It was just one of those things we of the Trevelyan family love about her. Plus after the adoption went through she is technically a Trevelyan now too.” 

“Wait! She’s a Trevelyan?!” The only woman wearing a gold frilly outfit inquired as Maxwell turned to her. 

“Yes, Josephine. Lauriel is a Trevelyan but only through adoption.” 

“But... She told me herself she’s a master thief!” Cullen exclaimed as Maxwell frowned. 

“Really? Hmn... I may have to speak with her then after this meeting is over.” Max frowned as he rubbed at his chin. 

“Why?” 

“Master thieves don’t just “get caught” accidentally. If I know her as well as I think I do, then she has a reason behind why she was caught.” 

It struck the red haired woman then, “You believe she allowed herself to get caught?” 

“Possibly. I’ve know Lauriel for years now. My sister wouldn’t do something unless she has a reason behind it which makes her even more of a Trevelyan,” He smirked at that thought. 

“So is she Lauriel Trevelyan now?” Josephine inquired as Maxwell smirked.

“Yes, though she did originally go by another name before becoming my offically adopted sister.” 

“What was it?” 

“Ravensblood.”

“Thats an...” Cullen frowned as he searched for the right words.

“Odd name? It is. Lauriel Ravensblood. Which honestly wasn’t a very fitting name so I can see why she chose to leave it behind.” 

“By why chose to take on the Trevelyan name?” 

“Where Laur comes from, her name, Lauriel, is the name of a type of flower, or well...its a special spelling of the flowers name.” 

“And Ravensblood doesn’t fit along with it?” 

“No. But that matters little now as Laur is the “Lauriel of the Trevelyan family”, don’t ask, my father and older brothers gave her that “title” not me. To me she is just “My Lauriel” or Sister or even Laur.” 

“You sound protective of her.” 

“Its not just me. My father and brothers and I would all kill to protect her. In fact now that I know she’s alive, I need to write to them and inform them so one of our brothers can come get her and take her to see father.” 

Cullen raised a brow then. “You do know she is still.” 

“She can’t stay that way for much longer.” 

“Why not?” 

Maxwell felt his hand twitch then, “She has an allergy to certain metals. Most things that are made with silver are often made with other metals to strengthen the Silver. I can almost guarantee that in that collar around her neck, there is a trace of either copper or another metal that is irritating her skin as we speak.”

Everyone’s brows came together then, “Why hasn’t she said anything if it is?”

Maxwell sighed then and shook his head, “because she’s also extremely stubborn and would rather suffer in silence then tell anyone if something is wrong with her. Which is something that needs to be worked on with her.” 

“What makes you say that?” Josephine asked as Max looked up towards her with sorrow. 

“Lauriel...” he shook his head. “Lauriel’s past isn’t the best... before I knew her, what she’s told me of her life...she’s basically been forced to suffer in silence all her life...” and with that Maxwell launched into what he knew to be Lauriel’s life story.


	4. Three

Several weeks later found Lauriel laying down on her cot and allowing her thoughts to take over. Closing her eyes she took in a deep breath and remembered what all had lead ip to this particular moment in time. _I’m a modern girl from Earth. I came to Thedas via some way I still can’t properly remember. I was lost until Maxwell Trevelyan and his eldest brother found me. I was adopted into the Trevelyan family and abandoned my original family name in favor of theirs. I was then separated from Maxwell due to a sudden fire in a forest which forced us to go different ways. I got lost again but was found by a group of thieves who took me in and trained me to become a master thief which I took to like a sparrow to the wind. I took a “contract” to steal something from the chantry here in Haven and failed miserably at. Now I’m a collared thief bound to the Commander of the fledgling Inquisition’s military. What else does fate plan to throw at me? And why is my throat itching so badly?_

Just as she thought that last bit, she felt the urge to scratch at her throat become almost unbearable but resisted as suddenly Maxwell entered and distracted her as he spoke up or rather, he frightened her to the point of damn near jumping out of her skin as he spoke. “Laur?” 

“Holy!” She yelped as she fell off her cot causing him to laugh. 

“I’m so sorry!” He managed as she sat up and shot a black look his way. “I couldn’t resist! But Im so sorry!” 

“Asshole.” 

“I’m sorry!” 

Lauriel clenched her jaws together, “are you quiet finished?” 

“Yes,” Maxwell smiled as he turned towards her now that he was calming down from laughing. 

“Now that you are done laughing, asshole, what do you need?” 

“I came to check up on you,” He informed her as he swiftly sobered up. “How is your throat?” 

“It itches, but I'm trying not to scratch at it,” Lauriel knew Maxwell was always straight down to business when it came to certain things with her and she could appreciate that, especially when it came to her odd allergies. But then again the whole branch of the Trevelyan family that Maxwell hailed from was especially serious when it came to her allergies, though she couldn’t say why.

“Father sent something that should help with the itching,” Max walked over to where she sat and knelt beside her as he produced a circular object from a pouch at his side. 

“Father knows?” 

Maxwell nodded as he opened the object and took some of the minty smelling ointment from inside to rub on her throat. “I wrote to him a few weeks ago. Told him that you were alive but that there is a complication preventing you from returning home.” 

“What did he say?” 

“That so long as you are alive he doesn’t care what drove you to thievery, but he is hoping to see you again soon but won’t be able to see you or me anytime soon because of political issues.” 

“Always with the political issues...” Lauriel pouted then as Maxwell gave her a sad smile. He knew that she adored the head of the Trevelyan family, it was one of the reasons she had agreed to the adoption in the first place, and that the man adored her in return.

“He is, however, sending your second favorite sibling to come ensure that you are kept alive while you are forced to wear this collar.” 

“Wait? Father is sending Erik? But isn’t Erik a Templar?” 

“Yes and yes, but since the whole world has decided to go insane, Erik has decided that family is top priority. The moment he heard about you being alive but being forced to wear a collar,” Maxwell shook his head, “let’s just say that he couldn’t jump any faster at the opportunity to see to you and your safety. Especially since Erik knows about or just plain out knows the Commander.” 

A part of Lauriel rejoiced at the fact that she would soon be seeing the second eldest of the Trevelyan boys, her second eldest brother, but another part of her shivered at that thought as well as Erik was the brother she knew to be one to jump her ass about something like the situation she was in now. Inhaling a breath, Lauriel smelled the minty sent of the ointment that Maxwell had finished rubbing into the chafed skin around her throat and sighed. “You know Erik is going to jump my ass right?” 

“I know. Which is why I’m not jumping your ass about it now. Though you’ll eventually get an earful from me.” 

“When is Erik expected to arrive?” 

“Sometime tomorrow. Which is why I’m not leaving until the day after. I’m not missing this reunion between you two,” Maxwell smiled then and Lauriel returned it. “Now take this and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for you and I know your allergies have been driving you damn near crazy.” Maxwell handed Lauriel a potion bottle and she took it without complaint. Max watched as Lauriel drank the potion within, heard her cough as she finished it, then took the bottle back from her and watched as she lay back down on her cot and fell into a deep sleep. “Oh my beloved sister, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?” He asked himself quietly as she drifted off into sleep. “Its bad enough I know your not from Thedas, but you just had to go and get yourself into the worst kind of trouble there is and there is honestly nothing I nor Father can say or do to get you out of it. At least...not this time.” Maxwell frowned as he leaned down to kiss Lauriel on the forehead before leaving her tent, stopping to look back at her sleeping form only once with sorrow in his eyes. 

****

Lauriel was practical buzzing with excitement. So much so that it had thrown the Commander for a loop when she had greeted him with an unusual warmth instead of her normal huff and growled out greeting. It had left him so badly confused that when he had inquired why she was in such a good mood Maxwell had only laughed and told him, “You’ll see.” Of course the reason behind Lauriel’s good mood arrived near midday and Cullen frowned as he met the man behind Lauriel’s joy. 

“Where’s my favorite little sister?” A voice called out as the Commander turned from reading some reports to see a man a year or two older then himself walking with the Herald who was grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly, Cullen heard Lauriel call out the newcomer’s name and was taken by surprise as she practically flew from where she was sitting to launch herself into the man’s embrace. 

“Erik!” Lauriel felt the man’s arms wrap around her and felt him all but squish her to his chest in a “bear hug” as he held her close. Upon pulling away she looked into her brother’s chocolate brown eyes and watched as he studied her for a moment. 

“So you really did get yourself caught,” he rubbed his bearded chin and she looked away momentarily. 

“Yeah...I did...” Lauriel knew the man would eventually jump her ass about it but for the moment he seemed content to just shake his head. 

“Well now I’m here and I can keep you out of trouble for a while, but first,” Lauriel watched as he looked towards where the Commander was standing and watching and heard him call out to the other man. “Rutherford right?” Erik asked as Cullen came out to speak with him. 

“Yes I-” Cullen was confused as of to why this Trevelyan sibling was speaking with him. 

“I’ve heard of you, Rutherford,” Erik interrupted Cullen immediately. “Keep in mind that while Maxwell is away playing “Herald” for the Inquisition, I am here to ensure that Lauriel’s health and safety are seen to and to keep you from pushing your boundaries with her. Anyone else might look away if you do something to harm her because she’s wearing that collar, but I won’t.” Lauriel had seen Erik being serious before, the man was a Templar for crying out loud, but this was a whole new level of serious she had yet to see from the man. 

Cullen sized up this particular Trevelyan sibling and inwardly shivered. He had heard from Maxwell that Erik was well built from his years as a Templar but this was not something he could have prepared for. Erik was a full head taller then Cullen, and looked as if he could take on a warrior or two from the mountainous barbarian tribes known as Avvar and win, but then again Erik looked almost like an Avvar warrior minus the fact that he was a Templar. “I wouldn’t dream of hurting-!” 

“I know you wouldn’t,” Erik cracked his knuckles. “But if you do I can promise you this: I hear about it or if Lauriel _**TELLS**_ me about any form of abuse you do to her, there will be no force in this world or in the Fade or even the Void that will stop me from hunting you down and slaughtering you. Do I make myself clear, _COMMANDER_?” Erik growled out as Cullen nodded. “Good. Now if you will excuse me, I am taking my baby sister and my little brother and we are heading for the tavern. I have a lot catching up to do with them both and I need to jump my sister’s ass about what she’s done.” Erik shot a look over at Lauriel who looked as if she’d rather be anywhere but there. “Until later, Commander.” 

With that Erik immediately turned towards Lauriel, reached over, gripped the back of her neck which earned him a bit of protesting, and all but dragged the poor woman (and the Herald) away and towards the local tavern where Erik’s version of “catching up” was drinking until one of them passed out. That one? Lauriel and she would awaken the next day with a massive hangover. 


	5. Four

“Never again...” Lauriel whimpered as Cullen watched her from where he sat in the command tent. He gave her an understanding look before returning to his reports and shook his head. He had been the one to escort Lauriel back to her tent after her brothers had gotten her pretty close to blackout drunk (he was still amazed that she had been able to keep up with the two) but now she was suffering, in the corner where she had immediately retreated to after arriving in the command tent, from a rather nasty hangover and Cullen, for his part, was trying his best to keep things quiet so as not to anger the pounding headache he was sure she had now. A light knock on the wooden pole at the entrance to the tent caused her to hiss and Cullen glanced over at her apologetically before getting up and checking to see who or what was the cause of the noise. Shortly after speaking with the person, who just happened to be the owner of the tavern, named Flissa, Cullen returned to his desk and the woman walked in to head over towards Lauriel. The two women spoke softly for a moment before Flissa handed something over to Lauriel and stood to leave with the promise of seeing to it that Lauriel at least got something to eat that would aid with helping the hangout the younger woman had. Once Flissa had left, Cullen glanced over at Lauriel to see that she remained curled into a ball with eyes covered and frowned before shaking his head and returning to his paperwork. 

Later in the day, however, once Lauriel was mostly recovered from the hangover, she found herself sitting on some boulders and watching as Maxwell and Erik "trained". A breeze had picked up and despite how cold it was, Lauriel was sitting in a sleeveless tunic, widdling away at some wood when she actually remembered that she had some in her hand, along with the knife she was using to cut away at the wood. "A copper for your thoughts?" Lauriel turned to see the red haired woman who had handed her over to Cullen in the first place, a woman Lauriel knew was named Leliana, before turning back to watching her brothers for a moment longer. 

"I don't think you'd care to hear my thoughts," Lauriel stated as Leliana finished walking up and looked towards the Trevelyan men as they beat the dog shit out of each other.

"Normally I wouldn't, but you are looking as if you have lost something or someone very dear to you."

"That would be a great understatement," Lauriel frowned, "I have lost many things and people who were dear to me and will continue to do so as time goes on."

"Oh?" When Lauriel did not answer for a few moments, Leliana turned with brows coming together. "You fear you will lose one of your brothers?"

"I don't fear losing them anytime soon, though knowing my luck I will," Lauriel closed her eyes briefly, "No...I always loose someone or something close to me so I've learned to expect it, and in turn learned that the best way to avoiding losing those I care about is to never let anyone get close."

Leliana frowned, "Yet you've allowed yourself to be adopted into the Trevelyan family."

"That's another story and one I'm not willing to revisit." 

Leliana watched Lauriel for a moment, "There is much you are unwilling to speak of."

"For good reason. Much of my past is...” Lauriel paused as she closed her eyes. “My past is not something I can speak so easily of or about. There are many things that have happened to me that I would prefer to forget all together.” 

“I will not press you for it,” Leliana wanted to know more about Lauriel, but though her sources had found no information outside of what she already knew thanks to the Herald, Leliana also respected the fact that Lauriel had a hard time speaking of memories that brought her so much pain. She also knew that Lauriel would speak of her full past when she was ready to and thus would not press. “If you ever feel the need to tell someone who isn't your brothers-” at that moment Maxwell cried out what sounded to both women like “you cock-biting bitch” or something close as Erik landed a blow that sent him flying and both Leliana and Lauriel shook their heads with Lauriel rolling her eyes. “If you ever feel the need to speak of your past to someone who is not your brothers, I am willing to be that person. Nothing you tell me will go beyond the walls of where we will speak.” 

Lauriel looked to Leliana and studied her for a moment, “Thank you, I will keep you in mind if that should ever be needed.” With that, Lauriel sat watching as Leliana nodded and walked away as part of her wondered just what the woman was trying to get at. _I don't trust that this isn't some ploy to get me to give her information she can possibly use against me but something is also telling me that she would keep anything I tell her a secret._ Lauriel shook her head as some of her curly hair slipped into her face, causing her to growl slightly.  _"Bane of my entire existence!"_ she snarled as she brushed her hair out of her face, rather unsuccessfully at that as well. 

"If you use a little bit of beeswax it may help to keep that particular strand of hair out of your face." A new voice spoke up causing Lauriel to yelp with surprise as she almost launched off the boulder she was sitting on. "I didn't mean to startle you!" Lauriel turned to see Cullen having finished walking up to her and was looking at her with such an apologetic look to his face that if her heart hadn't already been racing, she was sure it would have sent it flying at a break-your-neck pace.

"Its fine," She waved him off. "I should have been paying closer attention to my surroundings, but was distracted by my-" Just then a yelp of pain caused both Lauriel and Cullen to turn towards the two men to see that Erik, completely by accident of that Lauriel was sure, had somehow managed to step on a the paw of a dog (where the dog had come from Lauriel wasn't exactly sure but was sure it belonged to someone within the camp) and Lauriel face-palmed as she watched him get bitten. "Apparently I have idiots for brothers! Who knew?" She managed to say as sarcastically as possible earn a chuckle from Cullen. He knew she loved her brothers, in fact, she loved the whole branch of the Trevelyans that Maxwell and Erik came from as "they sneezed and coughed love", but she also loved to "make fun" of them as well but then a sudden thought struck Cullen and now his curiosity got the better of him. 

"Lauriel?"

"Hmn?"

"I know your a thief but...that day in the war room... Maxwell mentioned something about thinking you died when something happened. What was that something?" He watched as Lauriel looked away from him then.

"Best get the other Advisors," She said softly before calling out to Maxwell who looked in her direction as she nodded towards Cullen. "Might as well tell them." She explained as Maxwell frowned before nodding in understanding at what she meant. "Come on, Commander. It's time you learned _WHY_ I took to thievery and why Maxwell thought I had died." With that, Lauriel turned and headed for the war room with Cullen in tow as Maxwell had the other advisors fetched.


End file.
